Voice service providers must maintain records for the most recent date each number is permanently disconnected and must age numbers for at least 45 days after a disconnect before reassignment, effective July 27, after OMB approval last week of the compliance dates, the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau said Thursday. The rules pertain to a Dec. 13 reassigned numbers database order (see 1812130066).
Broadband availability to support telehealth is a struggle in many rural areas, Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, told the ACT|The App Association Wednesday. That's true for patients and clinicians, especially during COVID-19, he said. Johnson said one-on-one connections over video technologies give telehealth a personal touch.
The FCC Wireline Bureau waived a Form 507 line count data filing deadline until July 31 for rate-of-return carriers receiving support in the Alternative Connect America Model I and II and the Alaska Plan, in an order Tuesday.
An order circulated last week asks FCC members to dispose of a November 2018 GCI Communication application for review asking the Wireline Bureau to reverse reduction in its USF Rural Health Care Program support for funding year 2017 (see 1811130040), an official said. The item was announced Friday.
The FCC Wireline Bureau is stopping archiving industry work products sent to a secure data enclave for its business data services (see 1906190044) and USTelecom forbearance (see 1908050009) proceedings and will destroy it, said a public notice Monday. It's effective Friday.
OMB approved for three years information collection for the Connect America Fund rate-of-return order, effective Tuesday, says that day's Federal Register.
The FCC Wireline Bureau seeks comment by July 9, replies by July 16 on a request for transfer of control from Windstream and its subsidiaries to a "New Windstream" to emerge post-bankruptcy (see 2006120044), said a public notice for docket 20-151 in Friday's Daily Digest. Windstream, having received OK for its reorganization from U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, expects to emerge "from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as a privately held company in late August." Deadlines are the same on requests to transfer control of CenturyLink Public Communications from Embarq to Inmate Calling Solutions, it said on docket 20-150.
Frontier Communications asked the FCC to approve its bankruptcy restructuring. "Frontier expects the Plan to be approved by the Bankruptcy Court without material modification in August 2020, after which Frontier is prepared to emerge from bankruptcy as soon as it has secured the necessary regulatory approvals, including FCC approval," said a filing Wednesday.
Tri-County Telephone asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reverse and vacate an FCC order on telecom subsidies to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after hurricanes, in its reply Wednesday in case No. 20-1003 (in Pacer). TCT argued the FCC doesn't have authority to use high-cost USF support dollars for disaster relief.
The FCC opposed a petitioners' request to file an over-length opening brief in Great Lakes Communication v. FCC, No. 19-1233, filed Tuesday (in Pacer) before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (see 2001290046). The FCC said Aureon may want to join the petitioners. The agency said the petitioners didn't justify their request. If granted, FCC said, "any increase in word limits should include a proportionate increase in the word limit for the brief of intervenors supporting respondents."